


stripped bare

by isaksforelsket



Series: Skam Week [1]
Category: SKAM (Norway)
Genre: Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Blood and Injury, Crimes & Criminals, Criminal!Even, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Enemies to Lovers, Gun Violence, Journalist!Isak, Kidnapping, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:46:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23631832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isaksforelsket/pseuds/isaksforelsket
Summary: “Ah, would you look at that,” Even’s voice was filled with venom, gloved hands covering the gun he held, yet his face remained uncovered. It didn’t matter. The filthy little journalist knew who he was anyways. Not that it meant he could ever prove anything, nor that he would even get out alive out of the binds Even had him tied in. “It wasn’t that difficult to stay quiet, now was it?”“Fuck you.”---Fic for Skam Week
Relationships: Even Bech Næsheim/Isak Valtersen
Series: Skam Week [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1701199
Comments: 24
Kudos: 525





	stripped bare

**Author's Note:**

> I know some people don't always pay attention to the tags completely so I am here to repeat once again that this story does have violence, attempted non-con, elements of dub-con, and the characters are written in a way that is OOC, they suit the roles I have put them in but some might not be comfortable with this.  
> There are threats of violence, gun-wielding, mentions of drugs, kidnapping, and wounds, and the thing that most people may be affected by: the dub-con aspect as well as the non-con aspect. Please do not read if you aren't comfortable with these topics. This is fiction, this is not real, the fic is tagged and you have been warned. If after this you continue to read and you are affected by the topics then that is on you, I have done my part! If you feel the need to say something just don't because I will delete the comments, I don't want my readers (or myself) to feel shamed for reading fics with these topics.

“Ah, would you look at that,” Even’s voice was filled with venom, gloved hands covering the gun he held, yet his face remained uncovered. It didn’t matter. The filthy little journalist knew who he was anyways. Not that it meant he could ever prove anything, nor that he would even get out alive out of the binds Even had him tied in. “It wasn’t that difficult to stay quiet, now was it?”

“Fuck you.”

The words were spoken after a mixture of saliva and blood was spat out of Valtersen’s mouth onto the wooden floor, the cut on his lip slowly closing up, not bleeding as much as it had when the butt of Even’s gun had hit him in that very spot.

Even rolled his eyes, lips curling up in a lopsided smile, the scar over his right cheek pulling on his skin ever so lightly.

“Feisty.”

They’d been at it for far too long, too long for how meaningless it really was, for how long it usually took him to get the people that had crossed a line to break, to confess to whatever they had done and beg for forgiveness. But he knew Valtersen would be different once he got him on the chair. The chair that had many people on it throughout his years as an enforcer, the majority of them six feet under after he was done with them. Not Valtersen, though, he was different. He’d been a thorn in his side for a little over a year. Just a kid who got tangled into something that wasn’t any of his business, something that didn’t concern him at all, probably desperate to gain daddy’s approval by bringing him the juiciest story he could find with the two measly years he spent studying journalism at university. 

Yes, Even knew who he was. He knew everything there was to know about him.

Isak Valtersen, 20 years old, only 7 years younger than him and already excessively involved in his life, friends with far too many people, none of them interesting enough for Even to pay any sort of attention to usually, but he knew every detail about them regardless. He also knew that the twinky spitfire before him had been desperately trying to get any dirt on Even and his activities that he could find, but Even managed to slip away from his green gaze whenever he saw him following his tracks, the boy trying to hide with a shabby snapback pulled over his curls, his phone in his right pocket, a notepad hidden away somewhere in his jacket. But it didn’t matter how prepared he was because Even would escape no matter what.

His gloves brushed against the fresh scars on his knuckles which had only been there for a day or two, having gotten them after a successful job, right before he came home and discovered Isak in his flat, but he was numb to the pain. Used to the way his hands ached, skin splitting whenever he landed a punch on whoever it was that needed it. 

“Aren’t you tired of all of this?” He stepped closer, the sound of his boots hitting the floor echoing throughout the room of his flat, the thick walls separating them completely from the outside world. Soundproof. Perfect. “All of the running around, trying to get a picture, trying to prove to yourself and your precious ol’ dad that you’re not completely useless.” His hands were on his knees, back bent in order to meet Isak’s steely gaze head-on. But his eyes trailed lower, over his delicate features, still looking far too young regardless of the way he behaved, the way he craved to seem mature and grown-up. Valtersen’s lips caught his attention, a small trail of blood sliding down the bottom one, right next to the slit on the sensitive flesh. His hand lifted, thumb catching the blood on the black leather of his glove as he wiped it away, revelling at the way Isak jumped away, a small growl reverberating throughout his chest when Even chuckled at the reaction, tilting his head to the side and cooing at the small boy. “Come on now, you’re my guest, be polite when you’re in my house.”

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Isak spat, rolling his eyes in annoyance even though his hands were bound behind his back and Even held a gun in his own. The anger within the older man grew. “Do you ever shut the fuck up? Don’t you get tired of listening to yourself speak? Fuck, I preferred just following you around cause then I didn’t have to listen to you deliver fucking monologues.”

Even’s fingers twitched, the trigger right there, so close, so easy to hold down and make everything go quiet. But so, so messy. 

“You’ve been wanting to speak to me for so long, though, and suddenly you aren’t interested? Am I boring you, sweetheart? Do you want me to make your visit a little bit more exciting?”

Valtersen’s eyes finally flashed with something he recognised, something familiar and invigorating. Fear.

His grin widened at the sight, and he approached the bound boy once again, placing the barrel of his gun on the sharp jawline, pushing his head to the side to look at the scar trailing over the edge of it.

“Hm,” His head tilted, eyes focused on the ragged line. It was purposeful. Unsteady, made with a shaky yet determined hand. “Looks like someone else got to you before I could.”

Isak’s breathing hitched, as if the mere reminder of the scar brought pain to his chest, his lungs constricting and stopping the airflow, it seemed as if the words were as useful as Even’s hand would have been on that pretty little throat, constricting his airway and making him gasp.

“Good thing they didn’t hurt that pretty little face, huh?” The words were spoken through a smirk and Isak merely glared at him in response, taking in a deep breath before he recoiled, and before Even even knew what was happening there was spit sliding down his scarred cheek.

His palm trailed over the now wet skin, wiping it away before he let out a laugh of disbelief, turning towards the table where all his supplies lay, knives and weapons displayed right before him, and he grabbed a rag, usually used to wipe away any blood that reached his skin but this time he used it to wipe away the spit off of his face and his hand.

“You little bitch,” The words spilt out of him before he got into the kid’s face, gripping his round cheeks with his hand and forcing him to look at him. 

He left before he had the chance to cock the gun.

* * *

Isak’s head was hanging low. Matted hair covering his forehead as he took in breath after breath, and Even was surprised he had finally gone quiet. 

But he knew better than to hope that would last for long.

“So,” Valtersen started, coughing when his voice came out ragged and croaky, “Are you just going to stand there and look at me like a fucking pervert all day?”

A huff of laughter and Even shoved himself away from the wall, the green army pants he wore hanging low as he strode over, boots once again sounding far too loud in the quiet room. He bent over closer to him, tight black T-Shirt stretching over the firm muscles of his back as he arched his brow. “Pervert, huh?”

Isak flinched away when he raised his hand, gripping his chin and turning his head side to side, eyes trailing over his features. “Shame.” He started, voice dripping with faux pity. “You’d be quite pretty if it weren’t for your personality.”

Perfectly sculpted eyebrows raised in the air, cupids bow thinning as Isak grimaced. “I don’t need your shitty compliments.”

“And I didn’t need you breaking into my flat, and yet here we are.”

Because that’s what it was all about. That’s the reason there were ropes digging into the pale smooth skin of Isak’s slim body.

Had he not been discovered in Even’s office, digging through a drawer filled with nothing that would be of any use to him and his investigation, the whole situation would’ve been avoided. Even would have continued to find him obnoxious and irritating while Isak would keep following him mercilessly, never really getting close enough to get a good look at Even’s proclivities, but that didn’t happen.

His thumb snagged on Isak’s bottom lip, dragging it lower before he released him, pushing his head away and standing up, hand moving to his side, fingertips trailing over the handle of his gun. 

He could see Isak’s eyes following the movement, a sparkle of fear appearing in his irises.

Good.

With a firm grip, he pulled the weapon out of the holster, grinning at the way Isak’s breathing sped up even though his face remained the same. Desperate to appear calm and fearless. 

“Now,” Even started, trailing the edge of his gun over Isak’s face, placing his bare fingertips over his pulse, feeling it speed up, the thumping clear where Even pressed down. “Why don’t you tell me what exactly it is that you’re trying to find about me? Hm? If I didn’t know any better I’d say you’ve become a little bit obsessed with me, sweetheart.” A feral grin took over his expressions, Isak’s heartbeat speeding up once again. “So nice to have my very own personal fanboy.”

The scoff Isak let out made Even’s blood boil, yet his expression remained neutral. “Fuck you. I was just doing my job.”

“We both know you weren’t. All the other things you do, measly drug dealers and thieves that you investigate and report on, they may be your job, the little tasks you get from your pathetic father, but I’m not. You just wanted to be the one to get the story on me after so many had tried and failed before, you just wanted your daddy to look at you with something other than disappointment for once in your pathetic life.”

He struck a chord. He could see it in the flash of hurt on Isak’s face, in the way his eyes became hazy, teeth digging into his bottom lip as if he was trying to stop himself from denying it, knowing fine well Even would put him back in his place and remind him of the truth if he had done so.

“Ah,” Even pouted slightly at the sight, gun trailing lower until he could tap it over his lips. “You’ll hurt yourself, darling, and we both know I’m the only one that’s allowed to deliver any pain to your pretty face right now.” Isak’s glare was still present, still unwavering, but Even simply rolled his eyes. He turned the safety off and revelled at the hitching of Isak’s breath, his gaze finally faltering. “Now let go.”

Finally, he obeyed.

“Look at that. So, you can do as you’re told.”

The barrel trailed over the spit slick lips, separating them and clicking against Isak’s slightly parted teeth. “Open up.”

Nothing. No move, only a deadly stare, filled with hatred. It was okay though, Even felt the same about the boy before him.

“Come on now, don’t make me hurt you.”

Lips parting, Isak stared up at him, eyes filled with angry tears as Even grinned. “There we go.” The barrel was pushed into his mouth, the metal probably cold on Isak’s tongue, but Even simply pushed further. “Was that so hard to do?” 

His hand stilled, the air in the room filled with tension. “See,” Even started to speak, clicking his tongue and sighing in what would appear to be annoyance but Isak must've known it was fake. “I don’t run in very nice circles, the places I visit aren’t meant for someone like you.” He moved his hand, pulling the gun out before he pushed it back in. Isak’s eyes widened, breathing quickening at the realization of what was happening. “You keep walking around in those tight, ripped jeans and your pretty fishnets that everyone can see, the gloss on these pretty lips so tempting. I didn’t lie, Isak,” He licked his lips, the gun forcing Isak to gag as Even leaned in. “You are very pretty.” His movements didn’t cease, instead he rotated his wrist, covering the weapon in Isak’s spit. “Which is why I need you to stop. Not only because I will kill you and make you disappear off of the face of the earth if I ever see you trailing behind me ever again. But because this,” He pushed the gun further, Isak gagging once again as tears spilt over his cheeks. “This will happen to you and it won’t be a gun between your lips, it will be something that you’ll hate a lot more.”

He moved away, strands of spit connecting the gun to Isak’s lips as he listened to him gasp and cough.

His steps lead him to the table, the cloth he used to wipe away the spit now used once again, cleaning the gun before he walked over to Isak, wiping the saliva off of his chin, his face stuck in a hateful grimace as Isak looked down at the floor.

“I’ve been nice to you, I haven’t touched you, I’m not that kind of man,” His voice was firm but he made sure Isak heard the anger within him. “But you’ll run into someone that’s different, someone that will look at you and see nothing but a defenceless target. I’ve noticed you following me because I’m good at what I do but I’m not the only one that’s like that. There are others that will see you, there are others that will tie you up, but it won’t be to a chair, no, it will be to their beds.”

Isak looked up, expression that of resignation. “Okay.”

A smirk pulled on Even’s lips as he stepped closer to him, gripping his chin and tipping his head up. “Good. Now, I’m going to let you go but I don’t ever want to see you again. I don’t want you snooping around, I don’t want you to try to figure anything out about me or my life or my work. Go write a story about people planting flowers in the park or some shit, kid. If you don’t?” He leaned forward, lips mere inches away from Isak’s ear, his voice low and deadly. “I’ll kill you before you even have time to scream for help.”

The fear and anger he saw on Isak’s face when he moved away was more than worth all the trouble he had endured during the three days Isak had been in his flat. But it was time for him to go.

“Goodnight, sweetheart.”

His hand flew forward, the butt of his gun hitting Isak’s head, darkness enveloping the smaller boy completely, body limp.

* * *

“So, you see,” Erik crossed his arms over his wide chest, right below where his shirt was unbuttoned, revealing his hairy chest as he leaned back in the leather seat behind his desk while Even sat on the other side, face blank as he listened to what he had to say. “He hasn’t paid us on time. It’s been a month and the payment still hasn’t been made, we need you to go visit him and remind him who he works for.”

Even hummed, tapping his fingertips against the armrest, head tilting to the side as he looked ahead. It had been a while since he worked, he had decided to take a break after what he now referred to as ‘the incident.’ It’s been a few months, however, since he dumped Isak’s unconscious body at the boy’s apartment, leaving him behind and making sure he knew not to bother him again, and it seemed as if he had listened. After all, he hadn’t seen the wannabe journalist in quite a while, it was rather refreshing. And it was time he returned to his business. “Payment remains the same as usual?”

“Yes, you get the first half in advance and the rest when we get proof that the job had been done.”

The word ‘deal’ was right at the tip of his tongue but his thoughts were interrupted by an ear-piercing scream, the sound filled with pain and fear, something Even knew all too well from the 5 years he had been in the business.

He arched a brow, smirking as he observed the way the man before him merely rolled his eyes at the sound, as if he was bored by it at that point, as if he had been hearing it for far too long. 

“I see you’ve been having some fun of your ow--” The words were cut off with another harsh cry, Even’s chest clenching at the sound. He didn’t know what it was that the person had done to wrong the boss in this way but he had to find out, his curiosity was getting the best of him.

“Mind telling me what that’s all about?”

The old man grinned before him, placing his elbows on the desk and leaning forward, large stomach digging into the wood as his eyes shimmered with glee at the fact that Even asked. “Found him in the neighbourhood a while back with a camera, sneaking around and shit, asking way too many questions. Wouldn’t have bothered with the kid if he didn’t look the way he did,” The grin he wore was indication enough of why exactly the person was taken, even if he hadn’t said it, Even would have known. He felt his stomach twist at the revelation regardless. “If you want,” The man stands from the table, pushing himself up on his grubby hands. “You can go see him now and maybe have some fun with him, I don’t think they’ve broken him in yet, seems to be a virgin, pretty damn feisty though.”

The tapping of his fingertips stopped, his tongue darting out and wetting his dry lips, eyes distrustful of the man in front of him, but he had to go along with it, now that he knew the guy did nothing wrong and was just at the wrong place at the wrong time, he had to get him out.

“Sure, why not?”

The steps they took to the room where the boy was kept seemed to take far too long but Even didn’t dare show his impatience or his discontent with the situation, his lips remained sealed, patiently waiting as Erik opened the door, grinning and showing him what was inside.

The moment he saw, however, he wished the door had remained shut.

He caught sight of a familiar head of blonde curls, only the hair was now tangled, matted and covered in filth and sweat. The boy’s eyes widened as he caught sight of him, his body trembling and shaking in fear, his arm held in a firm grip by the man standing beside him. But what disturbed Even the most was his body. The skin that used to be clear, free of any disruption or blemish, was now covered in cuts and bruises, his torso cut by the edge of a sharp knife, leaving behind wounds which would surely scar if they ever managed to heal. He didn’t know the extent of his injuries, the blood obstructed his view, hiding just how hurt the boy was from his gaze. He looked back at Isak’s face, at the bruises covering the majority of the skin, surely created by the strong fists of the men working for the boss of the operation. His eyes, however, were what bothered him the most about his ragged appearance. They were dead. Lacking the usual fire they held within them, and Even found himself missing it.

The man beside Isak simply grinned at them when they walked in and suddenly he was twisting Isak around, the boy letting out a yelp at the sudden movement which just so happened to reveal his back, the condition of it no better than his front. The wounds covering it were painfully clear, straight and jagged cuts intertwining and mixing, the blood trailing from them dropping lower into his boxers, his arms wrapped around his body, almost as if he was trying to protect himself from what was happening. But the man didn’t care, he simply pushed him onto the small bed in front of him, forcing him to lay on his front and let out a cry of pain at the pressure on his injuries. Even winced at the sight, body frozen in the doorway while the man pressed a knee down onto his back, holding him down and preventing him from turning around as Isak cried into the filthy sheets, his sobs increasing in panic when the perpetrator gripped his boxers, fingers dipping in below the waistband, and that’s when Isak started to beg, crying out for help and telling him not to touch him, to stop hurting him, and Even couldn’t take it.

He spoke mere moments before Isak’s underwear was ripped apart.

“Wait,” The two men turned to look at him, Isak’s sobs still heard clear as day, his legs kicking and flailing as he tried to get away from the greasy hands touching him. “If you let me keep him I’ll do the job for free.”

He already knew he could handle the lack of payment, there was plenty of money in his bank account, money that he’d acquired through years of hard work and savings, he knew he had to do this.

The grin on the boss’ face was answer enough, but Even still let out a sigh of relief when he spoke. “He’s all yours.”

* * *

The couch dipped under Isak’s weight, body limp from the drugs they had injected him with.

We don’t want him going to the cops and telling them where we live, do we? They had said before holding a crying Isak down onto the bed and pushing the needle into his vein. They didn’t even bother cleaning his body up, they simply threw a bathrobe in his direction and sent them both on their way. He was Even’s concern from now on, after all.

Even couldn’t help but groan at the situation he had found himself in. He had just gotten rid of him and now he had to look after him, keep him in his flat and make sure he was okay, his gut churned at the thought.

His gaze trailed over Isak, over the place where the robe had fallen to the side, revealing the deep cuts on his chest.

“Fuck,” He leaned forward, brushing the garment to the side and wincing at the sight of blood. He had to clean him, he wouldn’t heal properly if he didn’t. But filth and grime was covering his pale skin, there was no way he'd be able to do it properly unless he got him in the bath first. He needed to wake him up first.

“Hey,” He sat on the coffee table next to the couch, gripping Isak’s chin and gently moving it to the side before he tapped his cheek with his hand, gently slapping him. “Wake up, Valtersen, come on.”

The boy stirred after a while, whimpering when he moved where he was laying, eyes slowly fluttering open and trailing over his surroundings hazily until they finally landed on Even, only then did he move away, jumping up and leaning against the back of the couch, chest rising and falling quickly as his eyes remained wide, lacking the fight that they once had.

“I’m not gonna touch you, don’t worry,” Even said with raised hands, keeping them right where he could see them so that Isak wouldn’t panic any more than he already had.

“What now?” Isak said, looking around the flat as if he was waiting for someone to attack. “You brought me here to fuck me up even more than they already had? Or to finish what they started back at the house?” His voice cracked when he spoke, revealing the true fear he had felt, but Even simply rolled his eyes. 

“No, I just wanted to get you out of there so that they wouldn’t fucking rape you,” Isak flinched away at the words, at the reminder of what had almost happened and Even tried to remind himself to be careful. The boy was fragile, much more fragile than he was during their last meeting, he had to choose his words wisely. “Look, you’re hurt, you’re bleeding and you’re in pain. So, go shower, I’ll get you some clothes so that you’re not exposed and then I’ll have a look at those nasty cuts, after that we’ll figure something out, okay?”

Isak stared at him, fingers gripping his robe and pulling it over his exposed skin, breath hitching until he finally nodded shakily, curls falling down his forehead.

“Okay, come on then.”

He didn’t look, he couldn’t. He kept his gaze on the ground when Isak stood from the couch, when he needed help walking to the bathroom, Even’s hands burning where Isak was holding onto them, the urge to push him away nagging at him in the back of his mind, but Isak whimpered and whined in agony and Even pushed the thoughts away, walking him to the bathroom instead and giving him some clothes, neglecting to leave a T-Shirt behind, he would have to take it off anyways once Even took care of his injuries. He didn’t look as Isak let the bathrobe fall to the floor, wincing as he bent lower, thumbs pushing into the waistband of his blood-soaked underwear. And Even left. The door closing shut behind him as he let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair.

His mind was distracted while he changed his clothes, opting to wear something more comfortable as he prepared for what would surely be a long night. The shower running was a constant reminder of what had happened, who exactly it was that he brought into his apartment, the very same apartment that he had the boy strapped to a chair in the last time he was there. But he couldn’t think about that. All that mattered was having a plan, figuring out what exactly he had gotten himself into.

Thoughts of the ‘what if’s’ crossed his mind. What if he had simply left him there, not bothering to get him out? What if he had never even been at the house? What would’ve happened to Isak then? What if he hadn’t told Isak to stay away from him? Would the boy not have ended up in the dodgy neighbourhood, therefore avoiding the crooked criminals all together?

It didn’t matter. The water stopped running.

“You fucking asshole,” Isak hissed out, face scrunched up in pain as Even let out an aggravated sigh.

“Will you shut the fuck up? Such a child.”

His hands moved quickly over Isak’s back, fingertips trailing over the arch as Isak turned his head towards him where it was laying on the pillow. “I can’t, it fucking hurts.”

Even let out a sigh, pouring some more of the liquid onto the cotton pad and rubbing it over Isak’s body. He bit his lip as Isak winced at the feeling, trailing his gaze over the cuts that he could see clearly now. It was bad, he couldn’t deny that. It seemed as if they were insistent on breaking the boy before they did anything more and Even couldn’t help but feel relieved he got there when he did. No matter how much Valtersen irked him, how much he felt sick at having to be in his presence, he couldn’t deny the fact that the treatment he had received was far too cruel for any human to go through. 

“Just breathe, okay?”

Surprisingly, Isak did as he was told, back expanding as he took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly until his muscles were loose.

It didn’t take long for the cuts to be taken care of after that, Isak seemed to have decided that he’d much rather suffer for a few minutes and stay silent rather than elongate the amount of time Even spent touching him. And the man knew that was the biggest problem. The pain Isak felt from the physical wounds was nothing compared to the way his body trembled as Even’s fingertips pressed down lower and lower until they reached the waistband of his--Even’s--sweatpants. Yet he said nothing, laying down on the bed and furrowing his brows as he gripped the pillow beneath his head where his still wet curls were sprawled out.

“Done.”

Even sat down on the edge of the bed as Isak rushed to pull a hoodie on, the hood covering his hair as he sat cross legged near the headboard, subtly wincing at the pain he still felt.

“Do you want to go to the cops?”

The shake of Isak’s head surprised him but he didn’t show it. It didn’t matter regardless, if the boy wanted to do that Even could’ve easily erased any trace of the contact he had with the drug dealers.

“Do you want to go home?”

Another shake of his head. “I-I need to find a different flat, t-they know where I live, they found the address and they went there. I c-can't, I can't stay there.”

Even hummed at that, already hating himself for what he was going to do, but he couldn’t stop himself.

“Stay here until you heal then. You can sleep in here, just stay out of my way and don’t fucking write about me and we’ll be fine.”

Before Isak could even say a word, Even had left the room, closing the door shut behind him and letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

* * *

It seemed as if Valtersen took his words to heart as he barely ever saw the boy, and when he did he was skittish and refused to look at him, only taking whatever he wanted and running back to his room. The only time they talked or even stayed near each other for longer than a minute was when Even changed the bandages on his body, making sure his injuries were clean and healing.

But even during those times, Isak didn’t speak unless Even asked him a question, he barely even moved a muscle unless it was Even telling him to turn over, to move his arms or to relax. The boy was merely a ghost in his apartment, their moments together might as well have not happened at all with how meaningless they were.

Yet somehow Even’s anger towards the younger man seemed to disapparate the more and more he spent time with him, he simply assumed it was because the previous emotion was being replaced by pity. It was undeniable, the boy was pitiful, for lack of a kinder word. His eyes were dead, skin pale and gaunt, the circles underneath his eyes more prominent by every day that passed, his voice barely ever used. Yet the scent of Even's shampoo was clear on his body, his movements remained graceful and filled with some of the remains of the confidence he used to have, his eyes, no matter how dull they appeared to be, were still rather captivating, the light shining at them only accentuating the swirls of green.

And so Even at least tried to change, for the sake of getting rid of the kid as soon as possible, he didn’t want to stress him out even more than he already was, and so he cooked for him, made sure he had clothes, and one day, when he stumbled into the living room, wringing his hands together and looking down at the floor as he stuttered out ‘W-would you go to my flat and get my laptop for me? I-I still have work to do.’ Even went without a complaint.

It was more so out of shock than anything else that he agreed to it but when Isak looked up at him, surprise written all over his features, he couldn’t help but feel glad that he said yes.

Their relationship, however, remained stagnant. Even did nothing to change his distrustful, and sometimes venomous, attitude towards him, and Isak seemed far too tired and scared to do anything but stay quiet and keep to himself.

But it seemed as if their proximity left them with no choice, especially once Isak started to feel somewhat better--his body still sore, but mind more present.

And so when Isak walked into the living room, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, socks mismatched and hoodie hanging low, Even said nothing. Instead, he focused on the guns before him, the knives he was carefully sharpening, making sure every inch of his weapons was clean as Isak sat down on the edge of the couch, sniffling and shuffling for far too long until Even let out a sigh.

“What? What is it?”

“Can we watch a movie or something?”

Even looked towards him but Isak’s gaze was still directed downwards, cheeks flushed as he bit his lip, picking on the skin next to his nail.

“Sure,” Even sighed out, not even bothering to ask why he couldn’t watch it by himself.

“Really?” Isak’s voice was filled with surprise but Even merely scoffed in response.

“Yeah, whatever, just let me finish this and I’ll put some shit on if it’ll get you to shut up.”

Watching the movie wasn’t a problem, no, Even was able to ignore the boy on the other end of the couch and simply focus on the screen, bringing the bottle of beer up to his lips every once in a while and taking a sip, ignoring the way he could feel Isak’s gaze on him when he did so, ignoring the way it seemed to make his face burst into flames.

But soon enough he could no longer feel Isak looking at him, and when he focused hard enough he could hear Isak’s deep breathing. And suddenly, he felt Isak's feet nudging at his thigh as the boy moved. When he turned towards him, leaning forward slightly, he saw the boy curled up in a ball, head on the armrest, eyes closed and lips parted only slightly, curls falling down his forehead as he held the blanket up against his chest.

He almost looked sweet. Cute, even, but Even simply presumed it was because he wasn’t conscious and therefore couldn’t open his mouth and actually speak and ruin whatever trance Even found himself in.

Regardless, his hand moved off of its own accord, brushing Isak’s hair back, eyes focussing on the scar he saw what felt like years ago. And for the first time he wondered where he got it from. What happened? Who did that to him? He wanted to know more about the boy before him.

Instead of wondering, letting his mind run in loops over and over again, he pushed his arms beneath Isak, carefully raising him and picking him up, making sure he didn’t stir while Even did so.

Slowly he took him to the guest room and for once he wished the sheets he was placing him down on were the ones on his own bed.

* * *

The scream was what had woken him up, forcing his body to sit up quickly, mind still hazy from being awoken so suddenly, hand quickly moving beneath the bed and gripping the gun which was taped to the boards.

His heartbeat sped up as he stood from the bed, slowly creeping towards the door, the gun in front of him as he carefully looked around his flat, observing every inch of it until finally, he heard another sob, and this time he knew where it was coming from.

His gun was still up in the air as he opened the door to Isak’s room, carefully looking around to see if anyone was in there until his eyes finally fell upon Isak’s distressed form. Hands moving around the crumpled sweat-soaked sheets, blankets pushed down onto the floor, legs kicking at an invisible force and a deep frown upon his tear covered face.

Before he could even think about what he was doing he was walking over to him, absentmindedly placing his gun on the nightstand as he kneeled on the edge of the bed, Isak’s body moving slightly towards him when the mattress tipped from his weight. His head turned towards the door, mind telling him to leave, that this wasn't his problem, he shouldn't be in here, but suddenly Isak whimpered in distress and all his thoughts evaporated.

His hands were shaky, unsure of what he should do, if the boy would panic even more if Even placed a single finger on him, but when he saw the look of pure agony on Isak’s face he knew he had no choice

“Isak,” He spoke quietly, almost as if he was worried about scaring the boy even more, his hands finally calming down as he gripped his shoulders, shaking him gently. “Wake up, come on, it’s just a bad dream.”

As if the words had reached him somehow, Isak’s eyes shot open, hands quickly grabbing Even’s and pushing him away as he gasped, shuffling to the other side of the bed and wrapping his arms around his knees, head turned towards the wall which the bed was pushed up against, and that’s when the sobs started to come out of him, his entire body trembling in fear.

“Fuck, okay, Isak, it’s just me. It’s Even.” The words seemed to make Isak’s breathing hitch, his head turning towards him, red-rimmed eyes focusing on Even until the boy crawled over to him on his knees, hands pushing down on the mattress until he was kneeling right in front of him.

“E-Even?”

His voice was shot, small and quiet, barely even a whisper, but Even heard him.

He nodded in response, gulping as Isak looked at him in shock, almost as if he couldn’t believe he was actually there.

“Yeah, it’s me, it was just a dream, okay?”

It seemed as if the words had broken Isak once again and Even watched in horror as his lip wobbled, face crumpling as he gasped for breath before starting to cry anew.

“I-I thought they were going to take me again, you weren’t there, I-I thought they would…” 

He didn’t need to finish, Even knew what he was going to say.

“Can I touch you, Isak?”

As soon as he nodded Even didn’t hesitate to lean closer, wrapping his arms around him tightly and closing his eyes as Isak started to cry harder than before, tears staining Even’s T-Shirt as he got them both to lay down, his hand running down Isak’s back gently while he pushed the other through his curls.

“It’s okay, just breathe for me, I won’t let anyone touch you, I promise, no one will come near you.”

As Isak's tears subsided, Even’s anxiety grew. He shouldn’t have been in the room, his arms shouldn’t be wrapped around the boy that he could barely stand and he definitely shouldn’t have been comforting him, let alone enjoying the way their bodies fit together perfectly.

“I-I’m gonna go back to my room, alright?” His voice cracked as he spoke, making him cough to clear his throat, but Isak merely whimpered at the words, a sound filled with pain and fear.

“Please stay.”

He felt Isak’s breath against his neck as the boy spoke, Even’s body rigid when Isak simply nuzzled in closer to him, gripping his T-Shirt tightly with shaky hands, nose pressing onto Even's collarbone and the puffs of air hitting his sensitive skin, and finally Even resigned to staying awake until Isak fell asleep, deciding to sneak out in the middle of the night and never speak of this again.

“Okay,” He whispered back as Isak settled down, pushing his fingers through Isak's curls and scratching at his scalp, a shiver running down his spine when Isak hummed in appreciation. “I’ll stay.”

* * *

Isak never spoke of the night.

Even didn’t expect him to, he didn’t, not when he allowed Even to witness such a vulnerable part of him, not when he had woken up to cold sheets and an empty apartment, but it seemed as if he had become even more withdrawn than he was before, and Even had seen him looking for a place to live multiple times a day, now barely even speaking to him when Even made sure that his injuries were going well.

But Even didn’t have time to worry about that, no, even though he had been preoccupied with helping Isak he still had work to do, and he would do it no matter what. It was much easier to throw himself into his job rather than stay at the flat, subconsciously coming into the living room and looking to see if Isak was sat on the edge of the couch, his favourite blanket wrapped around his shoulders.

What he didn’t expect was for the assignment to get far more violent than what he expected it to be, far more brutal and gruelling. And so when he came back to the flat, knuckles bloodied and bruised, lip split open and swelling already forming on his cheekbone, he should’ve expected Isak to say something.

The boy gasped at the sight of him, hand covering his mouth as he quickly rushed over to his side, hand moving to hover in the air near his face before he dropped it. “What the fuck did you do? Stupid fucking idiot.”

He could barely comprehend what was happening as Isak gripped his wrist with a firm yet gentle hand, careful not to touch any of his injuries as he dragged him into the bathroom, putting the toilet lid down and pushing him down on it, all the while his expression remained something stuck between infuriated and worried. And Even couldn't help but find it somewhat endearing.

“I’m fine, I’ve done this a million times before.”

Isak merely scoffed at the words as he took the first aid kit out of the cupboard beneath the sink. “I don’t care, you should take care of yourself a bit better, you should at least give a fuck that you’ve been hurt. Such an idiot, Jesus fucking Christ, if you weren’t already hurt I’d beat your stupid ass up myself.” Isak mumbled to himself as Even arched a brow, unable to stop a smirk from forming at the way Isak seemed so upset at the mere prospect of Even being injured in any way, but the movement of his lips caused him to wince, bringing Isak’s attention back to him and getting him to quiet down if only for a moment.

“See,” His voice was softer as he stood between Even’s legs, carefully dabbing his lip and making him hiss in pain from the alcohol. “A reckless idiot.”

Even simply hummed, eyes focused on Isak, on the way his brows furrowed in concentration, lips parting only slightly, his hands gentle as he moved Even’s face where he wanted it to be. 

And Even couldn’t deny it any longer, not when he stood so close, not when he could count every freckle and mole on his face, not when his lashes were fluttering every time he blinked, revealing his green eyes flecked with gold, not when his lips were shiny and wet and inviting. He was beautiful.

The tension grew by the second, increasing when Isak dipped a fingertip into some salve, applying it over the still sore cut on Even’s lip, slowly rubbing over it, gaze focused on nothing but his lips, and had Even known any better he would’ve assumed that the blush on Isak’s cheeks was because of just that, not because of the anger he must’ve felt.

Suddenly, Isak looked up at him, eyes glimmering in the poorly lit bathroom. “All don--” The words were cut short, fading away as he noticed the look of wonder on Even’s face, his eyes trailing over Even's features, taking in the mere shock Even felt at the emotions brewing within him.

Before Isak could move away Even placed his hands on his hips, holding him in place as the boy gazed down at him, a small gasp being released as he placed his hands on Even’s shoulders to stop himself from falling, fingertips dipping into Even’s muscles as he tilted his head to the side, lowering himself, bending slightly until their lips were mere inches apart.

“Even, I--” It didn’t matter what Isak was going to say, Even knew what he was thinking regardless. And so he leaned forward, closing the distance between them and pressing their lips firmly together, swallowing the gasp of surprise Isak let out while wrapping an arm around a slim waist and pulling him in closer as Isak bound his arms around his neck, whimpering when Even slid his tongue between his lips, tasting him and making his knees buckle.

Even's fingertips dug into the soft flesh on Isak’s hips, knuckles sore and blood trailing down them, dripping onto the floor, but it didn’t matter at all, not when Isak was right there with him.

“I-,” Isak stopped for a moment, taking in a deep breath as his eyes fluttered open. “I should finish, um, cleaning you up, y-your hands are still hurt.”

Even’s grip tightened, hands aching as he pulled Isak closer, one of his palms sliding upwards over the arch of his back it reached his nape, fingertips digging into the sides of his neck, Isak's breath hitching.

“I don’t care.”

Before Isak could speak, protest once again and tell him to take care of himself, Even stood, leaning lower and kissing him once more, pushing his tongue past his lips as his hand trailed lower, gripping his ass and pulling him closer, pressing their bodies together as Isak gasped and whimpered, arms looping around Even’s shoulders.

The boy didn't speak again, only letting out a yelp in surprise when Even gripped his thighs, hoisting him upwards and holding him tightly as he started to walk to his bedroom, their lips still connected while Isak pushed his hands through his hair.

But the moment Even placed Isak down onto his silken sheets, the same way he had wished to do many nights ago, and the second the got in between Isak's legs, holding himself up on his forearms, face looming above Isak's, the boy seemed to freeze, holding his breath and clenching his eyes shut as his hands started to tremble.

"Isak? Hey, come back to me," Even spoke quietly, brushing Isak's hair away from his face before moving to the side, laying down next to him and leaving some space between them as Isak started to take in deep and measured breaths.

"I'm sorry," The whisper spilt past Isak's lips once he calmed down, his eyes remaining shut as Even frowned in confusion. "I-I just panicked, I don't know what's wrong with me."

Even leans on his elbow, still making sure not to touch the boy before him. "It's okay, don't worry about it. If you ever get like that again, if you ever start to feel like anything's wrong just tell me."

Isak cracked one eye open, tongue darting out to lick his lips before he turned his head to the side and looked at him fully. "Again? So, you're planning on doing this again?"

He didn't think it was possible but a flush bloomed on Even's cheeks as he rolled his eyes, looking down at the sheets while he pulled on the edge of the covers. "I mean, y-yeah, if you want to. I guess. I don't fucking know."

Isak turned to lay on his side, shuffling forward only slightly. "Who knew that you could be so cute when you're not doing stupid shit like getting into fights or threatening people."

"Shut the fuck up," Even groaned out, flopping down onto his back and throwing an arm over his eyes.

A few seconds ticked by and suddenly he felt a pressure on his shoulder, Isak's hair tickling his neck. "Can I stay here?"

Even wrapped an arm around him, pulling him in closer and letting out a sigh. "Always."

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! Hope you like this little one-shot! It was fun to write this sort of dynamic between them!
> 
> Let me know what you think, I always wanna know your thoughts heh!
> 
> Tumblr: isaksforelsket  
> Twitter: vandervaltersen


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